The Ocean Deep

Amongst the continuous adventures that I go on inside the store, I have most recently been traveling to the deep oceans of Imaginationland. Our stuffed animal collection alone encompasses 7 species of shark, 2 species of turtle, 3 species of octopus, 5 species of ocean mammal, and the Giant Squid. Constantly looking at these creatures of the deep leaves my mind to wander to the marvels of the natural world that live in the least accessible portions of our planet.

Take for instance the Blue Whale. Here is an animal of such large proportions, that it is entirely possible to drive '68 Volkswagen beetle through its aorta. It's not like this is something you are likely to do, but if you happened to have an old beetle and a spare blue whale aorta lying around, it's an option for you. Its heart beats at approximately one beat per minute (assuming there is no car in it's aorta) and it's tale fin is about as wide as the wingspan of a small cesna airplane. That is amazing! And the beauty of it all is: it survives on eating krill, one the ocean's smallest creatures.

More strange friends of the deep are the Giant squid and its slightly larger cousin the Colossal squid. Here is an amazing creature. The largest known specimen of a colossal squid caught to date weighed almost 1,100 pounds and was approximately 33 feet long. Colossal squid have claws on their extended tentacles as opposed to suckers and have the largest eye of any known creature on the planet. The eye is approximately 16in. across. Imagine having that guy wink at you! And estimates based on evidence gathered from the stomachs of sperm whales suggest that they get much bigger than that.

The deepest parts of the ocean have remained untouched by humanity since the dawning of the earth and have remained, on the whole, undisturbed by the happenings of the surface due to the extreme nature of the environment. Each voyage down to the ocean floor (of which only a small fraction has been explored) reveals a new species. There are even a number of species that have been seen once and never seen again. The ocean is a wonderland of scientific discovery and in this wonderland, works of the imagination seem to take form.

I could prattle on and on about the mysteries and oddities of the deep, but at the risk of boring you the reader, I will leave you with the two of the biggest mysteries (pun intended). We live in a remarkable world and the ocean is perfect evidence of that.

What our employees are up to (Devan and Pat)

The Western Washington University Men's Ultimate team is proud to present the first annual BROWN v. ORANGE inter-squad exhibition showcase game at the Turf Field on WWU campus. This match-up will be in conjunction with the WWU Women's team’s tournament going on from 9am-7pm on Saturday.

Come out to see what collegiate ultimate is all about as a top recognized team in the nation gets ready for their upcoming season. There will be team discs, gear and possibly baked goods for sale!!

*Note: there is no permanent seating at the turf field. We will provide as many camp-style chairs as we can but be prepared to stand or if you have your own chairs feel free to bring those too

And Allie is going to Florida!

Ball

Throughout human history the ball has been the most revered and widely used tool in the industry of fun. Cultures that were a globe away from each other in times predating transatlantic exploration, developed games/ceremonies that used a ball. Before the Egyptians or the Romans or the Greeks or the Mayans or the Aztecs ever had contact with outside cultures they were thought to have developed games. And the ball was a crucial aspect of these games. Somehow, the ball - as an instrument of fun - is part of the human subconcious; streaming through the mind of every human on earth is an idea about the ball and the fun that can come from it's use.

Even in the developement of the mind from infancy, one of the easiest words for a young tounge to accurately articulate is "ball". One of the easiest objects to understand on a physical level is the ball. The human mind just seems to want to understrand and manipulate the ball. And as man kind progressed on it's march through time, the greatest and not-so-greatest games in civilization used or still use the ball as an integral piece of the game: baseball, soccer(futball), ulama(ancient aztecs), football, lacross, polo, cricket, billiards, tennis, raquet ball, rugby, etc. etc. etc. The list can and does go on for a long while.

History has given us reason to beleive that the ball is the most universally valued toy and personal experience would have hopefully given any reader of this a similar conclusion. I would even venture to say that humanity needs the ball. Which makes it all the more fortunate that we want the ball. Here's to the ball.

Workshops at the FairhavenToyGarden

Feb. 7: Felted Heart Gnome

This adorable little guy is holding a heart for you or your sweetie!
Ages 10 and up. Cost: $8 per person

Feb. 14: Felted Valentine Fairy

Come and make a pink (or whatever color you choose) fairy for you or your favorite Valentine!
Ages 10 and up. Cost: $8 per person

Feb. 21: Felted Purse

Create a beautiful small purse by needle felting and hand sewing.
Ages 10 and up. Cost: $8 per person

Feb. 28: Felted Dragon

We had such a long waiting list for this class when it was offered in Dec., that we decided to offer it again. Sign up quickly!
Ages 10 and up. Cost: $8 per person


Call 714-8552 to register. Payment requested when registering

Oopsie!

Oopsie is a new game that was developed exclusively at the Fairhaven Toy Garden, with the help of a rambunctious 2 year old.  The rules are simple, but first you must find a partner of roughly the same age as this games co-creator. 

Rules:

1. The younger of the two participants must yell "Oopsie!" while falling to the ground.

2. The older of the pair must then follow suit, paying close attention to the youngster's movements so that every detail can be replicated.  

3. Repeat and laugh.

Enjoy this game spread the good cheer that will most certainly ensue.

January Workshops

Sat. Workshops 11:00-1:00

Call 714-8552 to register. Payment requested when registering.


Jan. 3: Felted Snowmen: We are repeating these this season so if you missed them the first time, now is your chance!
Ages 10 and up. Cost: $8 per person

Jan. 10: Felted Penguins: These cute little fellas are so fun to personalize!
Ages 10 and up. Cost: $8 per person

Jan. 17: Window Stars: These colorful stars are a great way to brighten your interior at this time of year.
All ages. Cost: $1 per star

Jan. 24: Felted Sheep: We get to use the curly wool with this workshop!
Ages 10 and up. Cost: $8 per person

Jan. 31: Necklaces: After felting our own beads, we will combine them with glass and wooden beads to make a beautiful necklace.
Ages 10 and up. Cost: $8 per person

Happy New Year

Happy New Year!
Thank you for your business in 2008! We hope that all the gifts you purchased have given joy and enjoyment!
I just checked on all of our web orders and found that a number of packages are still on their way to their destination. Much of this delay is due to the snow we have had in the North West. UPS tells us that everything should be delivered by January 2nd.

We wish you a Happy New Year and hope to see you in Fairhaven soon!

Roland

PS: The Newsletter is now on line at www.fairhaventoygarden.com
If you would like to sign up for our newsletter, please send an email to info@fairhaventoygarden.com